


Seeking Distraction

by Elfwreck



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Comment Fic, Gen, Post-War, Pre-Slash (if you squint), Quidditch, Unbeta'd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-22
Updated: 2008-05-22
Packaged: 2017-10-11 17:51:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/115083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elfwreck/pseuds/Elfwreck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From the OTW Online Con: http://community.livejournal.com/otw_onlinecon/718.html?thread=2510#t2510<br/>Prompt: Snape, Harry, Golden snitch</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeking Distraction

Three weeks ago, he'd defeated Voldemort, and it seemed like the wizarding world was celebrating. Harry didn't feel like celebrating. Harry was still in shock; so many dead friends, so much damage. So much loss.

He paused at one end of the pitch, and drew the Snitch out of his pocket. He whispered to it--"fly _fast_. Take my mind off everything."--gave it a quick kiss, and looked around guiltily as if anyone could see him. Then he threw it into the air. It vanished with a flicker of its gold wings.

Harry closed his eyes, squeezing back tears for a moment as faces crowded into his mind, Fred-Lupin-Tonks-Colin-Dobby. Snape. Who loved his mother, and died for her. On that last thought, he half-choked, and spun around three times, and then opened his eyes to look for the snitch.

He zipped around the pitch three times, faster and faster, looking for a glint or shine that didn't belong. There! He dove for it, barely aware of the poles he was dodging around. It seemed to fly faster than it ever had during the games; the wind ripped at his robes, and he twisted from side to side to follow the sharp turns it took.

His vision narrowed: his whole world was the tiny gold ball in front of him. It grew, or he got closer to it; he couldn't tell. He was in a steep dive, faster-faster-faster, getting close to the ground; he'd have to pull up soon, but he could almost reach it... his fingers brushed the feathers on the side....

" _Petrificus Totalis_!"

Harry found himself unable to move, his broom frozen in place, and the snitch within his grasp, but his fingers unable to close around it. He'd've squealed in frustration, if he were able to move.

A hand grabbed the snitch out of his. At the periphery of his vision, another hand waved a wand, and Harry felt the back of his broom lower slowly to allow him to sit upright. His knees were locked tight to his broom, but the toes of his shoes just touched the ground.

" _Finite Incantatum,_ " the voice said, and Severus Snape stepped in front of his broom. Harry's broom snapped up to its natural level of about waist height from the ground.

"I thought you were dead!" they said simultaneously. They looked at each other in shock.

Snape recovered first. "But apparently, whatever magic enabled you to survive the Dark Lord has worn off, and you are attempting suicide by snitch."

Harry looked around. He'd been inches from the ground; there was no way he'd've been able to pull up in time. He gulped.

"Th-thank you for saving me, sir. Again."

"It's a habit I'm trying to break. I'll not do it again, I'm sure."

"How did you survive? You were bitten by Nagini!"

"That's quite none of your business, Potter. My survival is of interest to no one but myself. Your survival, however, potentially bodes ill for a great many people."

"No, sir."

"No?"

"Well, I did have to be willing to die. And I did die. Sort of. There was this train station of the afterlife, and Dumbledore was there…" Snape scowled.

"Spare me the details. Your Gryffindor heroism allowed you to cheat death and destroy the villain, is that correct?"

Harry blushed. "Yes, sir. I suppose so."

"And you are certain—completely certain—that Voldemort is dead?"

"Oh yes! Very certain!"

"Like you were certain that I was dead?"

Harry had the grace to look abashed.

"Well, if you're done trying to get yourself killed today, perhaps you could accompany me to Hogsmeade and explain why I should believe you."

"I'd be happy to, sir." He would. Harry looked forward to getting to know Snape as an entirely different person, as someone who'd known his mother in a way nobody else living did. "But... could I have my snitch back?"

"Absolutely not. You're a menace with that thing. If you want it back, you'll have to get it yourself."

And Snape very carefully tucked it into a pocket deep in his robes.


End file.
